The best sales jobs are hot.
Since 2004, the interest in selling has gone up by 300%.
Here’s the thing, people are realizing that sales doesn’t have to be the sleazy activity that media often makes it look like. Combined with the fact that compensation packages for sales reps are shooting through the roof, and people are flocking to the role.
Not all sales jobs are created equal, though, and this article will help you explore the best sales jobs and how to land them.
What are the best sales jobs?
For anyone new here; sales jobs are where you (the salesperson) demonstrate the value of a business’s product or service to prospective customers (prospects). The goal is to surpass a prospect’s buying threshold and to get them to give the business money for it.
Salespeople are super valuable to businesses because they drive new revenue to the business. The best sales jobs are the ones that you enjoy the most.
The different types of sales jobs
There are a few different types of sales jobs.
Before choosing your role, it’s important to understand the difference so you can find the best one for you.
Here are the core sales roles categories:
General Sales Rep (GSR)
GSRs have common sales skills without a lot of specialized training. Usually, that means it’s for an entry-level role with lower pay and commission rates.
Sales Development Rep (SDR)
SDRs are sales outreach specialists. Their role is to identify and make contact with potential customers. It’s typically an entry-level role.
Here’s a list of SDR responsibilities:
- Evaluate or create qualified prospect lists to reach out to.
- Cold outreach via calling, email, and social media with the goal of getting a prospect’s attention.
- Conduct a discovery call with a prospect to learn more about their problems and qualify them.
- Take notes, and set meetings for account executives.
Pro-tip: Telemarketers often do very similar work as SDRs, but are typically paid less. With some degree of training, they are very well equipped for sales development roles. You can also use a telemarketing role as experience before applying to an SDR role.
Account Executive (AE)
AEs are specialized salespeople that focus on closing new deals. This is achieved through the four basic traits that make a good account executive- Positivity, Leadership, Communication, and Psychological Strength. The best account executives excel at building rapport and relationships with clients, understanding their problems, and presenting solutions.
Customer Success Manager (CSM)
CSMs are responsible for ongoing communication with clients, and renewing their contracts. CSMs have to help create success goals, criteria, and KPIs. Then, they have to track the progress of the new client over time, making sure the client has everything they need.
Specialized Roles
It’s important to note that specialist roles are needed for different industries. These roles can also command more compensation because their skillset is more valuable to a business. For example, a business could hire a general salesperson and train them for 5 months to understand the product/service. That 5 months means missed opportunities and other training costs.
On the other hand, if the same business hired a specialist already trained for their product type, they could save those 5 months. The result? The business will secure more deals, save time, and training costs.
Rule of thumb: The more specialized, the more valuable to specialized businesses.
What are the best types of sales jobs?
The best types of sales jobs are where you feel best. That could be the result of a good work environment, a product you believe in, or a solid salary.
Ideally, it would be a combination of all three.
What are the highest paying sales jobs?
The highest paying sales jobs are usually those that require people to become specialists in a particular aspect of sales or expertise. These jobs frequently require extensive schooling and business-building experience to teach people in this field. The question, though, is how to decide which jobs offer the best potential for success and which areas you should focus your efforts.
Here’s a list of the 11 highest-paying sales jobs:
Enterprise Sales Executive
Enterprise Sales Executives are responsible for selling high-priced solutions to large enterprises. They work with their customers to understand their business and see what solutions would best fit their needs.
Salary Range: $54,000-$133,000
Commission Range: $60,000-$70,000
Parmaceutical Sales Rep
Pharmaceutical sales reps are on the rise, and generally pay very high salaries. They often work with highly skilled and experienced people, and can work long hours and on weekends to accommodate their schedules.
Salary Range: $50,000-$118,000
Commission Range: $20,000-$50,000
Realtor
Realtors are a perfect choice for those who want to work in sales and have a “go-getter” attitude. Those who work as realtors should consider the large commission payouts as the primary income potential for this field. It also carries more risk to new realtors and real estate agents because of low or no starting salary. Compensation is almost entirely determined by performance.
Salary Range:
Commission Range: $24,000-$150,000
Medical Device Sales Rep
Medical device sales reps are in high demand, and many countries (e.g. the United States) are suffering from the shortage of available professionals. This is a good field for people comfortable navigating and learning about the healthcare space.
Salary Range: $41,000-$98,000
Commission Range: $30,000-$40,000
Sales Engineer
Sales engineers are specialized sales reps that help deliver technical presentations and appease technical stakeholders. It’s a more specialized role, typically requiring an engineering background. Like most other sales jobs, they also require a certain charisma, a way with people, and a lot of drive.
Salary Range: $50,000-$112,000
Commission Range: $30,000-$45,000
Software Sales
Software sales reps are in a variety of different professional industries, from software development to healthcare to enterprise clients. The pay rates can be upwards of $250,000 a year (for top performers with 6+ years of experience).
Salary Range: $36,000-$93,000
Commission Range: $20,000-$25,000
Recruiter
Recruiters are responsible for getting companies headhunting for new employees – which means they are one of the most important people in the company. They are responsible for making sure that perfect applicants are screened and recruited.
Salary Range: $37,000-$77,000
Commission Range: $20,000-$25,000
Financial Services Sales
Finance service sales reps are a solid choice for people passionate about numbers or finance. If you have a strong quantitative background, then you might enjoy this job.
Salary Range: $53,000-$75,000
Commission Range: $30,000-$40,000
Manufacturing Sales
Manufacturing sales requires a strong understand of the industry and experience. There are technical buying and selling processes that sometimes overlap with sales engineers.
Salary Range: $48,000-$67,000
Commission Range: $40,000-$50,000
Insurance Sales
Insurance sales representatives are paid based on both base salary and production bonuses awarded each year. The base salary can range from $50,000 to bonus-dependent earnings of up to $400,000 (on the very high end). In the United States, insurance is a trillion-dollar industry, so it is no wonder so many people go into this profession.
Salary Range: $90,000-$100,000
Commission Range: Depends on the contract terms.
Mortgage Broker
Mortgage brokers are the professional, professional salespeople in the mortgage industry. These professionals are hired to help people understand different types of mortgages they can get, and educate them on how they work.
Salary Range: $80,000-$84,000
Commission Range: Depends on the contract terms.
What is the best industry for sales jobs?
The best industry is where your heart is happiest – haha.
Seriously, though. It’s important to have a genuine interest in the industry your entering (even if that interest is strictly financial). Sales is a challenging career, with a lot of potential. On the other hand, it is an industry with one of the highest turnover rates.
Usually, that’s because people burn out.
Here’s some industries to consider:
- Financial
- Software
- Innovative Tech
- Startups
- Green companies
- Local High-ticket businesses (think real estate or home services)
How to apply to sales jobs
The cool thing about job applications is that you can treat it like a sales process. A sales process is a series of steps you take to accomplish a sales goal; in this case, that means getting the job.
Some sales leaders actually look for persistence in new applicants. They might say, “if I reject this applicant, and they persist to overcome that rejection, they’ll be a great fit.”
Here are some tactics you can use to win a new role:
- Stand out by using a unique way to reach out. Everyone is sending in paper applications – try using a video to highlight why you’d fit into their company.
- Follow-up to demonstrate that you have the persistence it takes to succeed in their new position.
- Take initiative and try to highlight something that they’re missing – sign up with their lead form and see how their sales process currently works.
Sales is about impact at scale. That means, how can you make reaching out meaningful while reaching out to as many people as possible. The same thing goes with applications. Don’t just send the same resume to each company. Pick your top choices and try to stand out.
How to progress your sales career
Progressing your sales career is all about picking up the most valuable skills, and selling yourself. You can sell yourself to both managers and leaders, or prospective employers. The best way to do it is to stand out from the crowd by demonstrating valuable skills.
Here’s a list of the skills they find most valuable:
- Great at identifying problems
- Fantastic at presenting creating solutions
- Find creative angles that weren’t previous considered
- Persistence and grit
- A magnetic personality